Britney Spears Is Getting $15 Million To Be On "X Factor"

It's been a poorly kept secret for some time, but Britney Spears is close to finalizing her deal to join the cast of "X Factor." The contract will yield her a whopping $15 million for next season.

"I would love to have her on the show," Simon Cowell, the show's Executive Producer, told TMZ Live on Tuesday. "I think she would be a fascinating person to sit next to."

Currently, there are two vacant seats— left by Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul— on the judging panel. The pair earned $1.5 million and $2.5 million, respectively, for their participation on the show.

This deal puts Britney in a whole different cache, and rightfully so, as she's most certainly a notch or three above those two in the celebrity zeitgeist.